Method of and apparatus for cooling heated articles



A. ZISKA 2,009,078

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING HEATED ARTICLES I July 23, 1935.

Original Filed. Feb. 25, 1932 I7 INVENTOR. J. '74; Adam Zia/(a e/M I ATTORNEY.

. Patented July 23, .1935

PAT

Floa- METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING HEATED ARTICLES Adam Ziska, Wauwatosa, we, assignor a A. 0.

Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New York Application February 25, 1932, Serial No. 595,068

Renewed December 24, 1934 Claims. (01'. 148-20) This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for cooling heated articles with a gaseous heat absorbing fluid.

More particularly the invention relates to a method of and apparatus for air quenching enameled pipe.

Steel pipe to which a coat of vitreous enamel is, to be fused is raised to a temperature of about 1750" F. in the enameling furnace. In order 10 that the steel of the finished pipe may have a high degree of strength, it is desirable, after the enameling operation, to subject the'hot pipe to a quenching operation.

The object of this invention is to provide a.

method of and apparatus for cooling heated articles rapidly with a gaseous heat absorbing fluid. More particularly, the object is to provide a method of. and apparatus for air quenching enameled steel pipe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for obtaining a uniformly good grain structure in the steel of. an

enameled steel pipe.

A further object is to provide a method of and apparatus for blowing cold air upon a heated surface without having the air heated by contact with one portion of the surface mix with the cold air blown upon an adjacent portion.

Further objects will appear from a considera- 30 tion of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section taken on the line l--i of, Fig. 2 showing an air quenching apparatus made in accordance with the present invention, a portion of a pipe being shown in side elevation at a point in its passage therethrough;

Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal section of the apparatus taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. i; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified embodiment of the invention having a plurality of air distributing chambers.

To quench a hot steel pipe with a cold gaseous fluid of relatively low specific heat, such as air, a .great quantity of the fluid is blown upon the pipe and methods are adopted to apply the cold fluid to the hot surface as directly and uniformly as possible. i

This is accomplished in theembodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 o! the drawing by directing a plurality of closely adjacent streams of cold air converging upon the surface of a hot pipe i to be quenched uniformly from all directions around its circumference from a corresponding number of closely adjacent inwardly converging annular tuyeres 2. The tuyres 2 are disposed vertically one above another in axial alignment. They varyin diameter according to the design of the plenum chamber 3,

hereinafterdescribed, and are united at their outer edges by steeply inclined annular air tight walls 4. They are provided with central annular orifices 5 of greater diameter than the pipe i to be quenched. Cylindrical walls 6 unite'the tuyres adjacent the orifices 5, forming a cooling chamber 1 through which the pipe I may be lifted. The tuyeres 2 are set at an angle to the axis of the pipe i tocause a scrubbing action between the air stream and the surface of the pipe, but they may be disposed perpendicularly thereto if desired.

The air blown upon the pipe i is preferably I supplied .to the tuyeres 2 from a surrounding plenum chamber 3. comprises an outer air retaining wall 8, a fiat The plenumi chamber 3 annular upper head 9, the walls 4 comiecting the tuyeres, and an extension of the lower wall of the lower tuyere 2. It is shaped to main-. tain the desired air pressure around each of the tuyeres 2 opening from it. An inlet duct ii is provided for conveying a large volume of cold air to the plenum chamber 3 from a blower fan (not shown). The incoming air is distributed throughout the plenum. chamber 3 by a baiiie plate M.

The upper head 9 has an opening it axially aligned with the orifices 5 to allow the passage of the pipe 9.

When cold air discharged from a tuyere 2 contacts with a hot pipe, the heat absorbed from the pipe causes the temperature of the air toed air so as to prevent it from mixing with the cold air blown in from adjacent tuyeres.

In the present embodiment the heated air is removed adjacent its point of contact. with the pipe I through a plurality of exhaust chambers ll conveniently formed in the spaces between the adjacent tuyeres '2, the outer steeply inclined annular walls i and the inner cylindrical walls 6 connecting said. tuyres. An enlarged exhaust chamber i5 is formed by the underside of the lowest tuyre 2, the wall I!) connecting this tuyere to the outer cylindrical wall 8, the lower portion of the wall 8, a lower head l6 and the lowest cylindrical wall 6. This exhaust'chamber I5 is connected by an exhaust duct i! to an exhaust fan (not shown).

rise and its volume to increase. It is therefore desirable to provide means for removing the heat- The several exhaust chambers I4 communicate with each other and with the enlarged exhaust chamber I5 by passages I8 through the tuyres 2. The passages I8 are designed to so spread the air moving past them in the tuyeres 2 that the. jets of air delivered from the orifices 5 will impinge uniformly on all portions of the circumference of the pipe I.

The walls 6 have perforations IS. The crosssectional area and the number of the perforations I9, and the cross-sectional area and the number of the passages I8, are so chosen that when the apparatus is in operation the suction created by the exhaust fan is properly proportioned between the several exhaust chambers I4 to withdraw the air blownyupon the pipe I by each tuyere through the exhaust chamber I4 adjacent to it.

The tuyeres 2 are disposed to blow the air streams upon the .pipe I at an angle such that there is no suction created which draws heated air of one stream into the cold air of an adjacent stream.

The lower head I6 has an opening therein which is axially aligned with the orifices 5 to per-. mit the passage of the pipe I into the cooling chamber 1. provision is made for moving it transversely of the tuyeres at a substantially constant speed.-

The pipe I is moved by means of the carrying arm 2| and some suitable actuating means not shown since such devices are well known in the art.

.To provide means to admit the carrying arm 2| laterally into the cooling chamber 1, one side of the apparatus is cut through radially at 22 and 23, the sector so cut forming a door 24. The edges of the apparatus where cut at 22 and 23 may be reenforced by angle irons 25. The outer wall 8 of the door 24 is provided with hinges 26 and with a latch'21. The angle irons reenforcing the edgesat 22 and 23 form joints sufficiently air tight to prevent any substantial leakage of air therethrough when the apparatus is in operation.

In operation, the door 24 is opened and a carrying arm 2|, supporting a pipe I in its passage through an enameling furnace (not shown), is moved therethrough to the center of the cooling chamber 1. The door 24 is then closed and a vertical motion imparted to the carrying arm 2| to lift the pipe I endwise through the cooling chamber 1. The operation may also be carried out by lowering the pipe I through the cooling chamber I.

A large volume of relatively cold air, delivered by the blower fan through the inlet duct II enters the plenum chamber 3 where it is evenly distributed by the baffle plate 12. From the plenum chamber 3 the air enters into the tuyeres 2 which direct it from their orifices 5 in a plurality of inwardly converging annular streams- In order to cool the pipe uniformly,

quenched uniformly throughout its full length. The pipe is presented to the cooling action of a plurality of streams of cold air, and the air heated by contact with the pipe is withdrawn adjacent its point of application and does not dilute the cold air. between the cold" air supplied and the hot surface upon which it is blown. Uniform quenching throughout the length of the pipe and around its circumference is obtained by moving the pipe transversely through the plurality of inwardly converging annular streams of air. By thus efficiently using a large volume of cold air blown upon an article to be cooled, it is possible to use gaseous fluids of relatively low specific heat, such as ,air, for quenching purposes.

The method and apparatus described is capable of many modifications.

One modification is set forth in Fig. 3, in which a plurality of axially aligned annular air distributing ducts 28 are spaced vertically above one another at relatively short intervals. Air is supplied to these air distributing ducts 28 by an inlet pipe II and a header 29. The inner wall 30 of each air distributing duct 28 opensinto an inwardly converging annular tuyere 3|. The mouths 5 of the tuyres 3| form axially aligned circular openings through which a pipe I supported from a carrying hook 2| may be moved. The air distributing ducts 28 and tuyeres 3| are enclosed in a drum shaped exhaust chamber 32 having openings 33 and 34 through which the pipe I to be quenched may pass. The exhaust chamber 32 is provided with a suction duct H by which the air emitted from the tuyeres 3| is exhausted.

-In operation a pipe I supported at one end by a carrying arm 2| is moved endwise through the cooling chamber 1 in the apparatus, entrance being had through opening 33 or 34. A large.

thereby, the air is withdrawn adjacent its point of application, passing between the tuyeres 3| into the exhaust chamber 32 and out through the exhaust duct I1.

The apparatus and method'are not limited to the specific embodiments set forth above, and

, they may be adapted to quench or cool other articles of regular or irregular shape within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of cooling a heated article which comprises directing a relatively cool fiuid in a plurality of separate streams against the surface of the article to be cooled while moving the article relatively past each fiuid stream in succession, the streams extending to impinge upon the full width of the article, and removing the cooling fluid after it has impinged upon the article from a position in between said streams at a rate which will substantially prevent interference of the streams.

2. The method of cooling a heated cylindrical article which comprises directing a plurality of streams of relatively cool air against the outer surface of the article, each stream extending circumferentially of the article and being directed toward the central axis of the article being A maximum contact is obtainedcooled, moving the article longitudinally through the successivestreams of air, and removing the air that impinges upon the article from a position between said streams of air.

3. The method of quenching a heated pipe comprising, establishing a plurality of spaced axially aligned centripetally moving streams of relatively cold air, moving a pipe transversely through said streams of air, and removing the air that impinges upon the pipe adjacent the stream of air that furnishes it.

' 4. An apparatus for cooling heated articles with a gaseous heat absorbing fluid comprising, fluid conducting means for directing a plurality of streams of gaseous heat absorbing fluid upon the surface of an article to be cooled, means for withdrawing the fluid adjacent its point of application to the article being cooled and between said streams, and means for causing relative movement between the article being cooled and the fluid conducting means.

5. An apparatus for air quenching heated pipe comprising, a cooling chamber for receiving a pipe, air conducting means for directing a plurality of streams of relatively cold air into the cooling chamber, and means for exhausing the air from the cooling chamber out between the air conducting means after the air has impinged upon the surface of a pipe in the cooling chamber.

6. An apparatus for air quenching heated pipe comprising, a cooling chamber for the passage therethrough of a pipe, a plurality of air conducting means surrounding the cooling chamber and opening into it for discharging a plurality of inwardly converging streams of air, and exhaust means for removing the air discharged from each air conducting means out adjacent the point of application of the air to a pipe passing through the cooling chamber.

7. An apparatus for quenching a heated article, in combination, a plurality of annular tuyeres disposed to constitute a substantially cylindrical quenching chamber, means for moving a heated article to be quenched longitudinally through the quenching chamber, a source of air under pressure connected to the tuyeres to establish inwardly converging annular jets of air impinging upon the article to be quenched, exhaust chambers between the tuyeres opening into the quenching chamber, and means for exhausting the air through the exhaust chambers after it has been heated by contact with the article being quenched.

8. An apparatus for cooling heated articles comprising means to direct a cooling fluid in a plurality of streams extending to impinge upon substantially the full width of the article as the latter is moved past said means, said streams being spaced from each other, and means for withdrawing the fluid from positions in between said streams after the same has impinged upon the article.

9. An apparatus foi cooling heated articles comprising means to direct a cooling fluid in a plurality of streams extending to impinge upon substantially the full width of the article as the latter is moved past said means, said streams being spaced from each other, means for withdrawing the fluid frompositions in between said streams after the same has impinged upon the article, and means for moving the article relative to said fluid directing means to effect cooling of the article.

10. An apparatus for cooling heated cylindrical articles comprising means to direct a cool fluid in a plurality of streams extending circumferentially of the article and spaced longitudinally of the article, means disposed to withdraw the cooling fluid from positions in between said streams after the same has impinged upon the surface of the article, and means for "moving the article longitudinally and relative to said fluid directing means.

ADAM ZISKA. 

